and arriving at the place where wee are now seated. the Counsel was sworn, and the President elected, which for that yeare was Maister Edm. Maria Wingfield, where was made choice for our scituation, a verie fit place for the erecting of a great cittie, about which some contention passed betwixt Captaine Wingfield and Captaine Gosnold: notwithstanding, all our provision was brought a shore, and with as much speede as might bee wee went about our fortification.

The two and twenty day of Aprill,' Captain Newport and my selfe with divers others, to the number of twenty two persons, set forward to discover the River, some fiftie or sixtie miles, finding it in some places broader, and in some narrower, the Countrie (for the moste part) on each side plaine high ground, with many fresh Springes, the people in all places kindely intreating us, daunsing and feasting us with strawberries Mulberies, Bread, Fish, and other their Countrie provisions wherof we had plenty: for which Captaine Newport kindely requited their least favours with Bels, Pinnes, Needles, beades, or Glasses, which so contented them that his liberallitie made them follow us from place to place, and ever kindely to respect us. In the midway staying to refresh our selves in a little Ile foure or five savages came unto us which described unto us the course of the River, and after in our journey, they often met us, trading with us for such provision as wee had, and ariving at Arsatecke,' hee whom we supposed to bee the chiefe King of all the rest, moste kindely entertained us, giving us in a guide to go with us up the River to Powhatan, of which place their great Emperor taketh his name, where he that they honored for King' used us kindely. But to finish this discoverie, we passed on further, where within an

'This is an error; the landing took place on May 14, 1607, and the voyage of exploration up the river began on May 21.

This word is generally written "Arrohateck," and according to William Wallace Tooker, the distinguished anthropologist, was cognate with the Natick ahahnetau, "he laughs at him." Hence the name given by the settlers "Arrohatecks Joy." A farm, a little above Farrar's Island on the north side of the river, distant about twenty miles from Richmond, still retains the name Arre hateck. 'The chief at the Falls was Parahunt, son of Powhatan.

ile' we were intercepted with great craggy stones in the midst of the river, where the water falleth so rudely, and with such a violence, as not any boat can possibly passe, and so broad disperseth the streame, as there is not past five or sixe Foote at a low water, and to the shore scarce passage with a barge, the water floweth foure foote, and the freshes by reason of the Rockes have left markes of the inundations 8. or 9. foote: The South side is plaine low ground, and the north side is high mountaines the rockes being of a gravelly nature, interlaced with many vains of glistring spangles. That night we returned to Powhatan: the next day (being Whitsunday after dinner) we returned to the fals, leaving a mariner in pawn with the Indians for a guide of theirs; hee that they honoured for King followed us by the river. That afternoone we trifled in looking upon the Rockes and river (further he would not goe) so there we erected a crosse, and that night taking our man at Powhatan, Captaine Newport congratulated his kindenes with a Gown and a Hatchet: returning to Arseteche, and stayed there the next day to observe the height 2 therof, and so with many signes of love we departed. The next day the Queene of Agamatack kindely intreated us, her people being no lesse contented then the rest, and from thence we went to another place (the name whereof I do not remember) where the people shewed us the manner of their diving for Mussels, in which they finde Pearles. That night passing by Weanock some twentie miles from

4

3

"Within an ile" is probably intended for "within a mile." In the more particular description of Gabriel Archer, A Relatyon of the Discovery of our River, the distance of the Indian town Powhatan from the Falls is put at three miles. It stood on a hill, and in the river in front was an island, which serves to identify the site of the town with Marin Hill or Tree Hill on the north side of James River. Above the Falls, where Richmond now stands, was the territory of the Manakins, who were enemies of the chief Powhatan. They took the latitude of the place. Appomattox. The site of the village of Queen Opussoquionuske was Bermuda Hundred, near the mouth of the Appomattox River.

2

The modern spelling of this name is Weyanoke. The chief town of this tribe was on the south side, at the head of Powell's Creek, though the country opposite on the north side was also subject to their sway. The name adheres to the north side instead of to the south.

our Fort, they according to their former churlish condition, seemed little to affect us, but as wee departed and lodged at the point of Weanocke, the people the next morning seemed kindely to content us, yet we might perceive many signes of a more Jealousie in them then before, and also the Hinde that the King of Arseteck had given us, altered his resolution in going to our Fort, and with many kinde circumstances left us there. This gave us some occasion to doubt some mischiefe at the Fort, yet Capt. Newport intended to have visited Paspahegh and Tappahanocke, but the instant change of the winde being faire for our return we repaired to the fort with all speed ' where the first we heard was that 400. Indians the day before had assalted the fort, and supprised it, had not God (beyond al their expectations) by meanes of the shippes, at whom they shot with their Ordinances and Muskets, caused them to retire, they had entred the fort with our own men, which were then busied in setting Corne, their Armes beeing then in driefats and few ready but certain Gentlemen of their own, in which conflict, most of the Counsel was hurt, a boy slaine in the Pinnas, and thirteene or fourteene more hurt. With all speede we pallisadoed our Fort: (each other day) for sixe or seaven daies we had alarums by ambuscadoes, and four or five cruelly wounded by being abroad: the Indians losse wee know not, but as they report three were slain and divers hurt.

Captaine Newport having set things in order, set saile for England the 22d of June, leaving provision for 13. or 14 weeks. The day before the Ships departure, the King of Pamaunke sent the Indian that had met us before in our

1 They reached the fort May 27.

'Dry-vats, i.e., baskets or packing-cases.

The Pamunkey country lay between the Pamunkey and Mattapony rivers. At Uttamussick, the Indians had three long arbor-like wigwams, where the medicine-men performed their conjurations and incantations. The king of the Pamunkeys was the celebrated Opechancanough, the second brother and second successor of Powhatan. In 1616 he was chosen by the Chickahominies to be their king. He died, at nearly one hundred years of age, in 1646.

discoverie, to assure us peace; our fort being then palisadoed round, and all our men in good health and comfort, albeit, that thro[u]gh some discontented humors, it did not so long continue, for the President and Captaine Gosnold, with the rest of the Counsell, being for the moste part discontented with one another, in so much, that things were neither carried with that discretion nor any busines effected in such good sort as wisdome would, nor our owne good and safetie required, whereby, and through the hard dealing of our President, the rest of the counsell beeing diverslie affected through his audacious commaund; and for Captaine Martin, albeit verie honest, and wishing the best good, yet so sicke and weake; and my selfe so disgrac'd through others mallice: through which disorder God (being angrie with us) plagued us with such famin and sicknes, that the living were scarce able to bury the dead: our want of sufficient and good victualls, with continuall watching, foure or five each night at three Bulwarkes, being the chiefe cause: onely of Sturgion wee had great store, whereon our men would so greedily surfet, as it cost manye their lives: the Sack, Aquavitie,' and other preservatives for our health, being kept onely in the Presidents hands, for his owne diet, and his few associates. Shortly after Captaine Gosnold fell sicke, and within three weekes died, Captaine Ratcliffe being then also verie sicke and weake, and my selfe having also tasted of the extremitie therof, but by Gods assistance being well recovered, Kendall about this time, for divers reasons deposed from being of the Councell: and shortly after it pleased God (in our extremity) to move the Indians to bring us Corne, ere it was halfe ripe, to refresh us, when we rather expected when they would destroy us: about the tenth of

1 Brandy.

2 Wingfield had charge of the common store, but he denied vigorously that he feasted in the way suggested by Smith, who hated him. He dispensed the oil, vinegar, sack (sherry) and aqua vitae (brandy) with great care, and when the quantity was much reduced had the rest sealed up to be kept for emergencies, but "Lord, how they then longed for to supp up that litle remnant, for they had nowe emptied all their owne bottles and all other that they could smell out." Wingfield, A Discourse of Virginia.

х

September there was about 46. of our men dead, at which time Captaine Wingefield having ordred the affaires in such sort that he was generally hated of all, in which respect with one consent he was deposed from his presidencie, and Captaine Ratcliffe according to his course was elected.

1

Our provision being now within twentie dayes spent, the Indians brought us great store both of Corne and bread ready made: and also there came such aboundance of Fowles into the Rivers, as greatly refreshed our weake estates, whereuppon many of our weake men were presently able to goe abroad. As yet we had no houses to cover us, our Tents were rotten and our Cabbins worse then nought: our best commoditie was Yron which we made into little chissels. The president and Captaine Martins sicknes, constrayned me to be Cape Marchant, and yet to spare no paines in making houses for the company; who notwithstanding our misery, little ceased their mallice, grudging, and muttering. As at this time were most of our chiefest men either sicke or discontented, the rest being in such dispaire, as they would rather starve and rot with idlenes, then be perswaded to do any thing for their owne reliefe without constraint: our victualles being now within eighteene dayes spent, and the Indians trade decreasing, I was sent to the mouth of the river, to Kegquouhtan an Indian Towne, to trade for Corne, and try the River for Fish, but our fishing we could not effect by reason of the stormy weather. The Indians thinking us neare famished, with carelesse kindnes, offred us little pieces of bread and small handfulls of beanes or wheat, for a hatchet or a piece of copper: In like maner I entertained their kindnes, and in like scorne offered them like commodities, but the Children, or any that shewed extraordinary kindnes,

'John Ratcliffe's true name appears to have been John Sicklemore, and his alias "Ratcliffe" was probably due to a second marriage of his mother to one Ratcliffe. He made no concealment of his alias, as Smith suggests in another paper. He was president till July, 1608, when he was removed and Matthew Scrivener became president. He went to England in January, 1609, and returned to Virginia in June, 1609, where he was betrayed and slain by the Indians in the winter of 1609-1610.